The Development of Executive Function in Risky Decision Making among Preschoolers

Abstract

Risky decision making refers to making a decision that includes a choice with an uncertain outcome. Many skills such as executive function (EF) are important for effective decision making. EF refers to higher-order cognitive skills necessary for goal directed behaviour. It is divided into two categories: hot executive function and cool executive function. Hot EF are used in a motivational context, whereas cool EF are used in a more abstract context. The present study assessed three- and four-year-olds’ EF development in regard to risky decision making by utilizing various EF tasks and a Risky Decision Making task. Participants included 125 children from preschools across the greater Moncton area. Results revealed no significant difference in risk taking across a gain domain vs loss domain, that four-year-old children take more risk than three-year old children in the Risky Decision Making task used, and that the delay of gratification task (DoGT), which assesses hot EF skills, is associated with proficient risk taking. In the future, research should evaluate the comprehension of the preschool-aged participants on the tasks at hand, exclude any distracting factors within the tasks, increase the age sensitivity of the Risky Decision Making task, and use a larger sample with a broader age range.